


Let My Love Adorn You

by liamlikesmugs



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Lots of kissing, M/M, vaguely college-related lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 01:47:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6137089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liamlikesmugs/pseuds/liamlikesmugs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam has a crush on Zayn. He may also have a little-tiny-maybe-sometimes crush on his friend Harry as well. But that's beside the point. Isn't it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let My Love Adorn You

**Author's Note:**

> Um, I have nothing to say for this fic except that I love Zirry and that's all I have to say about that. Wait, I lied, MANY THANKS to calumspiercedhood for being such an amazing motivator and sounding board and friend in general. Okay, now that's all I have to say. 
> 
> Title comes from Adorn by Miguel.

Liam's sitting in his English Lit class, staring at the wall, zoned out, when Zayn walks in.  
  
He catches Liam's eye with a smile, giving him a slight nod hello, and Liam does not sigh. He doesn't feel butterflies in his stomach and he definitely doesn't blush.  
  
He really doesn't.  
  
But, if he does, he could hardly be blamed for it.  
  
Zayn is one of the most beautiful people Liam's ever seen in his life. It's not his fault that he's developed a crush on him in the months they've been getting to know each other.  
  
All the evenings tucked into quiet corners of the library and time spent sitting side-by-side in class has really begun to catch up with him.  
  
He fears he may be in love with Zayn, ridiculous as that would be.  
  
"Hey, Liam," Zayn smiles, sitting down in the chair beside Liam like he always does, getting out his notebook and a pen from his backpack while they wait for lecture to start. He stifles a yawn as he slides his bag down to the floor  
  
"Morning, Zayn," Liam nods back, drumming his fingers against the table in front of him nervously. "Sleep okay?"  
  
"Yeah," Zayn answers with a laugh as Liam wonders why he asked that. "You?"  
  
"I guess so," Liam shrugs, capping and uncapping his pen. He'd had a fitful sleep, tossing and turning amid dreams of Zayn, which wasn't as unexpected as Liam wishes it could be. Sometimes he thinks about Zayn, pointless little daydreams that occupy his waking mind and fill his days with something to think about other than his schoolwork or his loneliness. Sometimes he dreams about Zayn, dreams about kissing him, touching him, bringing him close and pressing their bodies together, Zayn's body beneath his own, writhing as Liam sinks into him, holding him down as they moan into each other's mouths and—  
  
Last night was one of those nights.  
  
"Went to bed a little late trying to finish the reading." It's only a half-lie. He did finish the reading before going to bed.  
  
"Reading?" Zayn asks, turning to Liam with wide eyes. "Please tell me it was extra credit or something."  
  
"No," Liam shakes his head ruefully. "It wasn't. Did you not remember?"  
  
"Clearly I didn't," Zayn laughs nervously. "Fuck, I can't believe I forgot again!"  
  
Liam tries not to whimper as he watches Zayn's lips form the curse word. It does nothing to him. Really it doesn't.  
  
"It's alright, Zayn," Liam reassures him, patting his shoulder. "You'll remember next time."  
  
"Will you remind me personally?" Zayn asks, teasing glint shining in his brown eyes.  
  
Liam laughs, shaking his head fondly. "Yeah, if you want me to," Liam is satisfied with the way Zayn smiles and nods at him, and before he knows it he's speaking again. "Why don't we just read the next few chapters together? What are you doing tonight?"  
  
Zayn makes a disappointed sound and shakes his head. "I can't, I, uh, have this thing I'm supposed to do tonight."  
  
Liam tries not to look too bothered, but he knows he fails. "It's alright, don't worry about it." He smiles, thankful that lecture starts before Zayn can get a reply in.  
  
It's not that Liam's upset that Zayn can't hang out with him, he was half expecting the answer to be no. He and Zayn spend enough time together to begin with, he can't blame him for wanting some time to himself every now and again.  
  
But it's times like this one, when Zayn's vague and cagey about the details that make Liam wonder what else he's got going on.  
  
He feels Zayn's eyes on the side of his head on and off for the next hour and resolutely ignores it.  
  
-/-  
  
When Liam finishes with his classes for the day, he decides not to head straight home, stopping at the coffee shop in the middle of campus instead.  
  
He's not much of a coffee drinker, really, but he prefers the quiet hum of indistinct chatter to the near-deafening silence of his own flat.  
  
That, and he gets to hang out with Harry while he works.  
  
Harry's another of the few friends Liam's made since the school year started. Liam'd been coming to the coffee shop for ages, but Harry started working there at the start of the semester, and he and Liam had clicked straight away.  
  
Harry's always ready to lend an ear when Liam wants to talk about anything, and he's been great with giving Liam advice about how to talk to Zayn, not that he'd told Harry just who he was crushing on. He doesn't want to take any chances in case Harry and Zayn actually know each other. He knows he's probably being overly-cautious, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right?  
  
"Hello, Liam!" Harry shouts as Liam walks in, the bell above the door announcing his arrival. Harry makes a sweeping motion with his arms from where he stands behind the counter, gesturing to the open stools in front of him. "Take a seat, it's been so dead in here today I was hoping you'd stop by."  
  
Liam smiles as he walks through the empty shop and drops his backpack on the counter. He hops up onto onto the stool just as Harry grabs a chocolate muffin and sets it down in front of him. Liam reaches for his wallet, but Harry waves him off  
  
"Don't bother, you know Niall doesn't mind."  
  
Liam sighs, taking his wallet out anyway and putting a fiver in the tip jar. Harry often gives him snacks and coffee for free, and while it's appreciated, Liam sometimes feels like he's taking advantage.  
  
"I don't only come here for free food, you know." He tells Harry, sliding his wallet back into the pocket of his jeans.  
  
Harry laughs, sitting on his own stool behind the counter. "Well I can't imagine why else you'd come around here."  
  
Liam grins, getting a book out of his bag. "It's always nice and quiet. And I've got a friend who works here, too."  
  
"Really?" Harry asks, acting as if this is new information. "Louis' not here yet."  
  
Liam shakes his head. "Shame, guess I'm stuck with you 'til he gets here, then."  
  
"Guess so," Harry nods, resting against the counter across from Liam and leaning forward on his elbows.  
  
Liam hates it when Harry gets so tactile and close, not that it really bothers him, but Harry's so gorgeous it's often just a little distracting. He's got dimples that always catch Liam's attention, popping into his cheeks when he's having a laugh. Sometimes, if he can get away with it, Liam just stares at Harry, taking in every aspect of his physical beauty.     
  
His hair is kept in long, soft curls that fall down past his shoulders. He usually wears it down, but whenever he's working he's got it tied up in a bun, which is how it is now. He must have been doing a lot of prep today, because a few hairs around the front have started to come loose, framing his face and drawing attention to his eyes.  His eyes are green, but that feels like an understatement when you get a good, close look at them. The shades vary from the deep, dark tint of pine trees to the steely, cool colour of slate, grey flecks illuminating his eyes and brightening them in a way you just don't notice until you're close enough.  
  
And Liam's plenty close right now.  
  
So, yeah. Maybe he likes Harry as just a little bit more than a friend, but that's fine. He's more focused on Zayn right now which works out beautifully because Harry's got a boyfriend.  
  
Harry picks up Liam's muffin and steals a bite.  
  
Liam grabs it back and shoots Harry a glare before taking a bite himself.  
  
"So," Harry starts, licking chocolate off of his thumb. "How are things going with your boy?"  
  
Liam feels heat rising in his cheeks as he shrugs, peeling back the paper on his muffin. "Dunno," he pretends to be studying the muffin, turning it this way and that in his hands as if he's thinking about his answer. "Invited him over tonight, said he had somewhere else to be."  
  
"Well that's no good," Harry pouts, brow furrowing.  
  
Liam smiles faintly at that. Harry's always ready to offer Liam advice about Zayn, or hear his stories about the time they spend together. Despite the fact that he doesn't know who Liam's talking about, Harry is always incredibly helpful and encouraging.  
  
"You'll just have to offer again another time. Don't get discouraged."  
  
"I won't," Liam tries to smile, but he knows it probably looks at fake as it feels.  
  
As usual, Harry can see straight through Liam's facade and leans forward, placing one of his hands over Liam's. The cold rings he wears present a strong contrast to the soft warmth of his hand.  
  
"I mean it, Li, don't give up."  
  
Liam nods and is about to speak again, just as the door to the shop opens.  
  
"Oh dear, what have I just walked in on?"  
  
Liam turns to see Louis walking into the shop and stripping off his coat, hanging it on a hook beside the door.  
  
"You weren't about to kiss, were you?" He asks, walking straight through the shop and behind the counter, disappearing into the kitchen without even waiting for an answer. When he reappears, he's got an apron on, folded in half and tied around his waist.  
  
"No, we weren't going to kiss," Harry answers with a sigh, sitting up on his stool and letting go of Liam's hand. "This time."  
  
Liam laughs when Louis rolls his eyes and tries to whip Harry with a tea towel.  
  
"Yeah, right," Louis scoffs. "We all know Liam's hung up on his mystery man, why on Earth would he be kissing you?"  
  
Liam feels himself blush as his mind supplies him with plenty of reasons he could be kissing Harry.  
  
" _You_ seemed to enjoy it," Harry replies with an easy shrug, smirking when he hears Louis' frustrated sigh.  
  
"Do you _hear_ him?" He points at Harry as he turns to Liam. "One drunken game of spin the bottle and I'll never live it down."  
  
Liam laughs, trying to hide it behind a hand. Harry had invited Liam to come out with them that night, but he politely declined, opting instead to get some school work done. Once he heard the stories the next day he was kicking himself for the next week.  
  
"I'm just saying," Harry defends himself, throwing up his hands. "I never heard any complaints from you."  
  
"Whatever," Louis sighs, pouring out the coffee in the pots behind the counter and setting fresh batches to brew. "You bring up that kiss so much, sometimes I feel like you enjoyed it a little too much."  
  
Harry laughs then, dimples cutting into his cheeks adorably. "Don't you try to turn this around on me, Lou. You know I'm happily taken."  
  
"I'll bet," Louis huffs, "and that boyfriend of yours sure seemed to enjoy watching you suck on my face."  
  
Liam can feel his cheeks start to hurt from laughing as he opens his book and picks a random page to start reading. He's heard enough about Louis and Harry's kiss in the weeks since it happened to last him a lifetime, but that doesn't make it any less hilarious.  
  
"Not as much as I enjoyed doing it!" Harry shouts at Louis' back as he walks back into the kitchen. He turns back to Liam then, still laughing softly. "You really should come out with us next time, Liam."  
  
"After missing that? I'd be crazy not to," Liam laughs, closing his book with a sigh. He realises he never gets much work done when he comes here, but it's more about catching up with Harry and Louis and Niall than it is about anything else.  
  
"Better get going," he says as he gets up from his stool with a sigh, "I've got to get some work done."  
  
"Alright," Harry grumbles, pouting exaggeratedly. "See you tomorrow?"  
  
"See you tomorrow," Liam nods as he turns toward the door and heads off toward his flat.  
  
-/-  
  
The next morning when Liam gets to class, Zayn's already there and sitting in his usual seat.  
  
Zayn smiles the minute he sees Liam and Liam almost hates the way his body reacts to such a slight gesture.  
  
"Hey, Liam," he greets him, toying nervously with the pencil in his hand.  
  
"Morning, Zayn," Liam smiles back, sitting down beside Zayn and opening his backpack, just to have something to do with his hands.  
  
They make idle chitchat until class starts, at which point Liam turns his attention to the lesson, but he can see Zayn fidgeting restlessly beside him through the whole hour.  
  
Once class is over, Los gets ready to leave, but is stopped by Zayn calling his name.  
  
"Listen," Zayn starts, turning to face Liam. "I want to make up for bailing on you last night. Do you want to maybe do something... not school-related?"  
  
Liam's surprised, and he's certain it shows on his face because then Zayn's speaking again.  
  
"Like maybe I could come over and we could watch a film or summat?"  
  
"Like... a date?" Liam asks cautiously as his heart hammers in his chest. He feels like an idiot asking, but he'd feel even worse if he'd read the situation wrong and didn't try to clarify.  
  
"Something like that," Zayn smiles nervously, waiting for Liam's answer.  
  
"That sounds really good, Zayn, yeah," Liam beams, trying to keep himself from laughing with relief.  
  
"Good," Zayn grins, scrunching his nose as he does so. "How's tonight?"  
  
"Tonight's perfect," Liam nods eagerly, not even taking a moment to think about it.  
  
"Great," Zayn sighs, picking up his bag and standing from his desk. "I'll see you later."  
  
-/-  
  
"Haz, I've got news!" Liam calls as he walks into the coffee shop, finding Niall behind the counter instead of Harry.  
  
"Harry's running late," Niall turns to face him, grinning and patting the counter in front of him. "Take a seat, lad. Share your news with me."  
  
Liam smiles as he sits at the counter, dropping his backpack to the floor. "If it's all the same to you I'd rather wait until Harry gets here. Then I can tell you all at once."  
  
"Fine," Niall groans dramatically. "You're paying for your own muffin today, then."  
  
Liam laughs and gets out his wallet, paying Niall as he sets a blueberry muffin down on the counter in front of him.  
  
"Is it good news, at least?" Niall asks, depositing Liam's cash in the till and bringing back his change.  
  
Liam waves it off and Niall drops it in the tip jar with a shrug.  
  
"The best. Is Louis here?"  
  
Niall shakes his head. "He should be coming when Harry does."  
  
Just then, the bell over the door rings out and both Niall and Liam turn to see Harry walk through it, face flushed.  
  
"So sorry I'm late, Niall, I—"  
  
"It's fine," Niall cuts him off, throwing an apron at Harry who catches it before taking off his jacket and hanging it up.  
  
He quickly gets into the apron and ties his hair up into a bun at the back of his head.  
  
That's when Liam noticed a deep purple bruise at the base of Harry's neck and raises an eyebrow. A flare of heat roils in his gut but he tamps it down, keeping his tone light when he speaks again.  
  
"Fun night, H?" He asks, nodding at the love bite.  
  
Harry flushes enticingly, bringing a hand up to the mark self-consciously. "Yeah," he laughs, getting behind the counter and nudging Niall out of his space. "You could say that."  
  
"Things get a little wild at home last night, Hazza?" Niall asks coyly, leaning up against the counter.  
  
"You could say that," Harry repeats, cheeks growing even redder as he laughs quietly. "You know how he gets."  
  
"Do I ever," Niall rolls his eyes as the door opens yet again, bell jangling loudly as Louis comes into the shop.  
  
"Alright, lads?" Louis asks as he hangs up his coat and bustles through his usual beeline to the kitchen for his apron.  
  
Everyone waits until he pops back out before greeting him.  
  
"Alright, before you bozos came in, Liam told me that he has good some news he wants to share."  
  
"What this, Payno?" Louis asks, folding his arms expectantly. "I must say, I'm honoured that you waited until I arrived."  
  
Harry and Niall both roll their eyes before Liam opens his mouth.  
  
"The guy, from my Lit class, he asked me out, finally."  
  
Niall and Louis make equally-surprised-yet-happy expressions, whooping and hollering their congratulations.  
  
Harry, on the other hand, watches with a smile, the look in his eyes excited but also somehow knowing.  
  
Liam's jolted out of his thoughts by Niall's arms wrapping around him.  
  
"I'm so happy for you, Liam. You've been after this guy for months now!"  
  
"You're telling me," Liam laughs, letting Niall hug him for a few moments more.  
  
"So what are you going to do?" Louis asks as he starts brewing fresh coffee.  
  
"He's coming over to my flat for a movie night."  
  
Niall and Louis start making kissing noises and Liam feels his cheeks burn.  
  
"Come off it, you two," Harry scolds them.  
  
"Lighten up, Haz," Louis nudges Harry with an elbow. "Everybody knows that 'movie night' is really just code for 'in-the-dark make out session.'"  
  
Liam's stomach swoops at the suggestion, but he hardly has time to dwell on the thought before Harry's speaking again.  
  
"No, it doesn't. Not always," Harry says, his voice cool and aloof, or trying to be.  
  
"Well, we'll see if it does this time when Payno comes in with the details tomorrow," Niall cuts in, breaking up what was sure to be a long and tedious argument.  
  
"Guess we will," Harry agrees, excusing himself to go back to the kitchen.  
  
-/-  
  
It's eight o'clock on the dot when there's a knock on Liam's door.  
  
He nearly trips over his own feet trying to answer it, and, when he does, Zayn's standing on the other side, hands in his pockets.  
  
"Hi," Zayn greets him shyly, rocking back and forth on his heels.  
  
"Hey," Liam smiles, stepping away from the doorway. "Come on in."  
  
"Thanks," Zayn ducks into the flat, discreetly looking around while Liam tries to straighten up what he can.  
  
"Sorry about the mess," he says nervously, clearing off the sofa and turning back to Zayn with a slight smile.  
  
Zayn laughs softly, shaking his head. "This is nothing, babe, you should see my room."  
  
Liam tries not to think about the hint of suggestion in Zayn's words (or about the fact that Zayn just called him 'babe') as Zayn comes over to the sofa and sits down on it, patting the cushion next to him.  
  
"So, what are we watching?"  
  
Liam sits down, feeling his heart beating wildly in his chest as he clears his throat. He'd gone to great lengths to find a good film for them to watch. And by 'good' be meant no nudity, no sex, no romance, and minimal kissing. Basically, he was trying to avoid any awkward moments.  
  
"Uh, I've got Toy Story?" He shrugs, feeling relieved when he gets a smile and nod from Zayn in return.  
  
"Sounds good," he agrees, and Liam springs off the couch to set it up.  
  
They watch the movie in relative silence, commenting here and there on certain parts and laughing when appropriate.  
  
They make it all the way to Buzz and Woody chasing after the moving truck when they've run out of popcorn.  
  
"I'll go make some more," Liam tells Zayn, getting up from the couch.  
  
"Let me help." Zayn's following Liam into the kitchen before he can even answer.  
  
Liam laughs. "It's just microwave popcorn, Zayn, I think I can manage."  
  
Zayn wrinkles his nose at that. "Maybe I just don't want you to leave my side?"  
  
Those damn butterflies start acting up again, bringing colour to Liam's cheeks as he grabs the popcorn from the pantry. He unfolds the packet and places it in the microwave before he feels Zayn's body behind him, hands on Liam's hips.  
  
"Y'know," Zayn starts, turning Liam around to face him. "I'm having a really great time." His eyes dart down to Liam's mouth and Liam licks his lips out of habit, watching as Zayn's eyes follow the movement.  
  
"Me, too," he answers, unsure of what to do with his hands, resting them on the counter at his sides. "Glad you wanted to do this."  
  
Zayn smiles, stepping even further into Liam's space. "There are other things I want to do, too."  
  
"Uh," Liam feels himself blushing and wishes there were something he could do to stop himself from turning into a tomato. He clears his throat nervously, watching Zayn watch him. "Like?"  
  
"Like this," Zayn says, giving Liam no time to brace himself before Zayn's soft lips are pressed against the corner of his mouth.  
  
_Fuckfuckfuck_ , he swears in his head because Niall and Louis were right. _Fuck_.  
  
Before he has the chance to freak out any further, Zayn's leaning back in and kissing his lips, gentle and tentative. Liam wills his stomach to stop flip-flopping as he kisses back, bringing a hand up to Zayn's face to pull him closer.  
  
He feels Zayn's answering smile against his lips when Zayn's grip on Liam's hips tightens, digging his fingers in almost possessively.  
  
Zayn breaks the kiss then, leaning back to look at Liam with an eyebrow raised.  
  
"This alright?" Zayn asks, and Liam uses all the willpower he can muster to simply nod his head instead of shouting _YES_ like he truly wants to.  
  
How could this _not_ be alright? This is something Liam had been fantasising over from the moment he met Zayn; feeling Zayn's lips against his own, Zayn's hands on his skin, and— oh, Zayn's erection pressing against his hip.  
  
He allows himself to be drawn in by Zayn's lips and the teasing grazes of teeth he feels every time Zayn kisses him back. Before long Zayn's opening his mouth, teasing Liam's tongue with his own and drawing a stuttered moan from Liam.  
  
He's just getting into it when he hears an incessant beeping and remembers the popcorn.  
  
Zayn pulls back with a laugh, eyes scrunching up and sparkling with mirth.  
  
Liam whines, drawing Zayn back in for another kiss.  
  
"Liam," Zayn chuckles, "it's gonna burn."  
  
Begrudgingly, Liam lets Zayn pull away so that he can stop the microwave and pull the popcorn out. However he's barely set it on the counter before he feels Zayn pulling him back toward the living room.  
  
"Come on," he pulls Liam back to the couch, "wanna kiss you some more."  
  
Zayn pushes Liam down onto the couch and Liam moves back until he can rest his head against the arm, heart thumping wildly in his chest.  
  
Zayn moves to straddle Liam, one knee on either side of his hips as he runs his hands over Liam's chest, watching Liam's reactions through hooded eyes.  
  
Liam feels himself grown bolder, allowing his hands to move to Zayn's things, running over them before heading up to rub Zayn's back.  
  
He smiles down at Liam before leaning forward and kissing him again. Liam sighs when he feels Zayn's tongue brush his bottom lip and his quick to reciprocate, opening his mouth to Zayn's kiss and feeling his body relax as Zayn's hands grip at his shoulders, digging hard into the muscle there.  
  
God, Liam," Zayn pants, "feel so good under my hands, babe."  
  
"Yeah?" Liam asks, feeling lightheaded from all the attention.  
  
"Yeah," Zayn nods, kissing Liam hard and biting his lip for good measure.  
  
They kiss like that for a while, hands roaming, until their lips are slick and stinging.  
  
Liam whines throatily when he feels Zayn's hands in his hair, running through it before tugging gently and making Liam gasp into the kiss. He runs his hands over Zayn's body, feeling the muscles under his shirt bunch and tense as he moves against Liam.  
  
"Zayn," he moans, moving his hands from Zayn's chest down to the buckle on his jeans.  
  
Zayn stops kissing him then, stops touching him altogether, and sits up, quickly moving to the other end of the couch.  
  
Liam's barely aware of the movement until Zayn's totally separated from him, sitting on the other side of the sofa and staring back at Liam, his cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink.  
  
"Shit," he swears, feeling his pulse quicken with fear and shame in place of the arousal that was formerly clouding his mind. "I'm sorry if I was being too forward—"  
  
"It's fine, Liam," Zayn cuts him off, standing from the sofa and fixing his clothes. "I think I ought to be heading out, anyway."  
  
"No," Liam all but whines, sitting up in the couch. "You don't have to go."  
  
"I should," Zayn insists, "'s getting late."  
  
"You could stay over," Liam offers, feeling his cheeks burn at the way Zayn's eyes widen. "I mean, just sleep, on my couch, if you wanted to."  
  
"No, that's alright," Zayn fiddles with the hem of his tee shirt, visibly apprehensive, though he doesn't seem willing to address it. "My flatmate's waiting up for me. We kind of have this agreement. He gets antsy when he's left alone at night."  
  
"Is he a dog?" Liam asks, immediately embarrassed by his rudeness when Zayn gives a soft chuckle. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Zayn shakes his head. He starts for the door, turning back to Liam before opening it. "See you in class on Monday, yeah?"  
  
"Yeah," Liam nods, trying his damnedest not to pout as Zayn walks out of the door.  
  
-/-  
  
Liam goes for a run early the next morning and finds himself at the coffee shop before he actually realises where he'd been heading.  
  
It's Saturday, so there's a sizeable crowd for once, and Liam avoids them all, picking a quiet table in the corner as opposed to his usual seat at the counter.  
  
He sits alone, thinking through his night with Zayn. He can't deny the progress that's been made between the two of them. A few days ago, he wasn't even sure that Zayn liked him as more than a friend. Now, he's felt Zayn's lips with his own, knows how Zayn feels beneath his hands, and he wants more.  
  
But, there's something about Zayn that just doesn't seem right. Like there's something about himself that he's holding back from Liam. And as much as Liam wants for Zayn to be comfortable with him, the nagging desire to know everything about him is eating away at Liam so unexpectedly it's making his head spin.  
  
He needs to know what Zayn's feeling, but he has no idea how to get it out if him without seeming obsessive. Liam lets out a sigh and leans forward in his chair, resting his head in his hands.  
  
"Something the matter?"  
  
He lifts his head when Harry walks over and sits down across from him.  
  
"Shouldn't you be working?" Liam asks him, not really wanting to talk about himself.  
  
"I should, but Niall isn't here right now and no one's waiting to place an order. Had to come over and see if you're okay." Harry stops talking and softens his tone a little before he says, "You always at least stop by the counter when you come in."  
  
Liam sighs, scrubbing at his face with an open hand. "I'm sorry, I just... have some stuff on my mind today."  
  
"Stuff?" Harry asks, clearly waiting for some kind of follow up. "What kind of stuff?"  
  
"Guy stuff," Liam answers, leaning back in his chair.  
  
"And I'm not a guy?" Harry jokes, wheedling a smile out of Liam. "Can I not relate?"  
  
"No, you can't," Liam tells him, trying not to sound too defensive. "Because you have a boyfriend and you know exactly where you stand with him."  
  
"That's true," Harry's smile falls when he hears the tone of Liam's voice. "Well, I guess I can't make you talk about it if you don't want to."  
  
They sit in silence for a few moments before Harry gets up from the table with a sigh and leaves Liam to his thoughts.  
  
-/-  
  
Liam's been sitting alone at his table for hours when he decides that he ought to head back to his flat. Just sitting here alone isn't doing him any good.  
  
He's walking through the shop when he hears Harry calling to him.  
  
"I know something happened last night."  
  
Liam feels the hairs on the back of his neck raise as he turns slowly toward Harry. "H-how?" He asks, watching the stern expression on Harry's face. "How could you possibly know that?"  
  
Harry raises his hands tentatively, shaking his head. "I don't really, but... Isn't it obvious?" He sighs, voice pleading. "I can tell by the way you're acting. Why won't you talk to me about it?"  
  
Liam sighs, trying to release the tension in his shoulders. "He kissed me last night."  
  
Harry doesn't look bothered, or upset, or surprised, or anything, really. He just stares back at Liam with a firm set to his jaw and a furrow in his brow. "Okay, and? What was so horrible about that that it's ruined your mood? Isn't that a good thing?"  
  
Liam shakes his head as he walks back over to the counter and takes a seat. "It would be, if he didn't freak out and leave right after."  
  
"He what?" Harry asked, brows knitting even further together. "What happened exactly?"  
  
Liam sighs and covers his face with his hands, resting his elbows in the counter. "I tried to get into his pants and scared him off."  
  
Liam's startled by the laugh that bubbles out of Harry. He looks up with an understandably confused expression and Harry's smile wanes, but doesn't drop completely.  
  
"I'm sorry, Li, I'm not laughing at you."  
  
"Sure seemed like it..."  
  
Harry shakes his head and gets Liam a cup of coffee.  
  
Liam makes a face, shaking his head. "I didn't bring my wallet."  
  
Harry rolls his eyes and sets the cup down in front of Liam. "And just when have I ever actually made you pay for anything?"  
  
Liam bites back his protest and accepts the cup, pulling it closer to himself and staring down at it. He doesn't usually take his coffee black. To be honest, it's usually more cream and sugar than anything else, but he picks up the cup and takes a large sip anyway, burning his tongue in the process. He finds it hard to care.  
  
"You just have to give him some space," Harry advises. "Take the weekend to figure out what you want to say to him, and then talk to him in class on Monday. It'll be okay."  
  
Liam nods, taking Harry's words into consideration. Sure, Zayn's reaction seemed a little bit unexpected, considering the fact that Zayn was the one that kissed Liam first, but in all fairness, Liam could have at least asked permission before trying to strip Zayn to his birthday suit.  
  
"Alright, Harry," Liam nods, sliding off of his stool, "thanks."  
  
-/-  
  
When Monday finally rolls around, Liam feels a distinct pang of discomfort settle in the out of his stomach as he walks into his English Lit class.    
  
It subsides briefly when he sees that Zayn hasn't yet arrived, so he quickly takes his seat and waits for class to start.  
  
Zayn shows up a few moments after he's settled and he tried not to react visibly when Zayn looks at him and smiles.  
  
"Hey, Liam," he greets, same as always.  
  
"Morning, Zayn," Liam nods, feeling guilty just looking at Zayn. He feels an apology bubbling at the back of his throat when Zayn speaks again.  
  
"So, um, about Friday night," he starts, staring at his hands in his lap. He's wearing a chunky gold ring today and Liam admires it silently.  
  
"You don't have to explain yourself to me, you know." Liam tries, wanting to defuse the awkwardness between them.  
  
Zayn shakes his head. "I feel like I do. I pretty much ran away from you with no warning." He laughs softly, biting his lip.  
  
Liam smiles back, relieved that Zayn's poking fun at himself. "Well, yeah, it was kind of alarming."  
  
"It's just," Zayn sighs, reaching out and taking Liam's hand.  
  
Liam's fingers twitch involuntarily as Zayn laces their fingers together, sweeping his thumb over Liam's hand tenderly.  
  
"I really like you, Liam," Zayn admits, staring down at their joined hands. His eyelashes are fanned out over his cheekbones and Liam feels his heartbeat stutter.  
  
"What?" He asks, incredulous. "You, like me?"  
  
Zayn nods, his smile hesitant and soft. "And I don't want to rush into anything and fuck it up. I wanna get to know you better. I don't want our relationship to be just physical."  
  
"Relationship?" Liam parrots, feeling like an idiot when Zayn laughs.  
  
"Yeah, _relationship_." He nods, "So what do you say? Can we just slow it down and see where this goes?"  
  
Liam nods eagerly, squeezing Zayn's hand. "Yeah, Zayn. Yes. Of course we can."  
  
"Good," Zayn beams, leaning over in his chair. "Cos I've been dying to kiss you all weekend."  
  
Liam laughs softly as Zayn invades his space, pressing their lips together and sealing over every doubt in Liam's mind.  
  
-/-  
  
It's just after eight o'clock on a Wednesday night when Zayn picks Liam up for their first official date.  
  
Liam's spent the afternoon with the lads at the coffee shop, stressing over every last detail, and, not surprisingly, it was Harry who'd saved the day by taking Liam's hand and reassuring him that everything was going to be perfect.  
  
Liam was grateful for the gesture, but it really only served to make his gut twist with guilt when he caught himself staring at Harry's mouth instead of focusing in what was being said.  
  
Now, though, as he opens the door, he feels a wave of calm wash over him when Zayn smiles, hands fisted into the pockets of his jeans.    
  
"Hi," he moves in to kiss Liam hello, just a quick brush of lips before he pulls back. "You ready to go?"  
  
"Yeah," Liam nods, feeling his confidence return when Zayn reached for his hand. "Where are we going?"  
  
"Cinema," Zayn answers breezily, looking over at Liam. "I heard Deadpool's sick and I've been dying to see it. That cool?"  
  
"Perfect," Liam smiles, squeezing Zayn's hand. "Didn't know you were into comics."  
  
"I _know_ ," Zayn sighs, tugging a hand through the ends of his quiffed hair, "it's nerdy or whatever but I love them. Always have."  
  
"I wasn't gonna say that, Zayn," Liam's quick to defend himself. "I love comics, too! You should see all the posters I've got up in my bedroom."  
  
"You inviting me into your bedroom, Liam?" Zayn asks slyly, chuckling under his breath when Liam's cheeks go red.  
  
"No, I wasn't– not that I wouldn't want to– not tonight, but erm—"  
  
"Liam, relax," Zayn laughs now, eyes scrunching up in a way that Liam would find adorable if he wasn't feeling so mortified. "I was just joking, babe."  
  
"Arse," Liam shakes his head, unable to keep himself from grinning back. "Such an arse."  
  
The movie is great, or rather what Liam actually _remembers_ of it is great. No matter how hard he tried to focus, his gaze kept slipping away from the film to Zayn's face, the silver light of the screen casting gorgeous shadows across his profile.  
  
Liam watched Zayn laugh at the right times, watched his brow knit with concern when the drama kicked up and watched with wide eyes when one of Zayn's hands found its way to his knee.    
  
By the end of the film, Liam's managed to turn back to the screen, watching the credits roll as the theatre lights come up again.  
  
"That's was brilliant," Zayn says, leaning over to speak softly to Liam.  
  
"It really was," Liam agrees, standing from his seat when Zayn does and following him out into the lobby.  
  
They hold hands again and rehash their favourite bits of the film on the walk back to Liam's flat, laughing a little bit too loudly and enjoying each other's company.  
  
"You coming up?" Liam asks when they arrive, trying not to look too hopeful as he waits for an answer.  
  
"'Course," Zayn nods easily, following Liam up to his flat.  
  
The moment Liam's got the door unlocked, Zayn's guiding him in and shutting the door behind them so he can pull Liam into a long kiss.  
  
Liam bites back a moan and gets his hands on Zayn, digging his fingertips into Zayn's hips and bringing their bodies close.  
  
"Fuck, Liam," Zayn breaks off with a ragged sigh, "the way you kiss– just– fuck, I can't even _think_ right now."  
  
Liam laughs as Zayn kisses him again, blindly fumbling back toward the couch  as Zayn gently steers him.  
  
Zayn sits on the couch and looks up at Liam, patting his thighs in invitation.  
  
Liam flushes as he lets himself be dragged into Zayn's arms, straddling his lap with a knee on either side of his hips. He makes the first move this time, bringing Zayn's mouth back to his own before he's even settled.  
  
"Liam," Zayn sighs contentedly, "could kiss you for ages."  
  
"Could you?" Liam asks, feeling a smug smile tug at his lips when Zayn nods in reply.  
  
"I could," Zayn answers, pulling their mouths back together in a kiss that has Liam biting back a moan.  
  
Liam has no idea how much time passes before Zayn's phone is ringing.  
  
Liam kisses him harder despite the distraction, whimpering raggedly when Zayn pulls back from the kiss to check who's calling. "Leave it," Liam whines, desperate to get Zayn's lips back on his.  
  
"Can't," Zayn pants, taking a few deep inhales to catch his breath before answering the phone.  
  
"Yeah?" He says, listening as the voice on the other end does all the talking. The conversation is short, and when it's over, Zayn sighs heavily, resting his forehead against Liam's chest. "Have to go."  
  
"No," Liam protests, trying not to sound overly petulant. "Stay. You could... sleep over, if you wanted to."  
  
Zayn kisses his neck tenderly. "Believe me, babe, I do, but that was my flatmate." He inhales deeply before pressing his face into the crook of Liam's neck. "You know about our agreement." Zayn scrapes his teeth along Liam's neck, making him arch into the pleasurable teasing. "Can't leave him alone."  
  
"I know," Liam sighs, scraping his fingers through the hair at the back of Zayn's head. "Wish you could stay, though."  
  
"Mm," Zayn hums into another kiss, demonstrating his agreement. "We'll get there."  
  
Liam nodded and stood from Zayn's lap, unable to keep himself from kissing Zayn just a few more times before finally letting him leave.  
  
-/-  
  
The next afternoon, Liam nearly runs down to he coffee shop once he's free from class. He's still buzzing from his date with Zayn the previous night and is overeager to tell the lads about it.  
  
When he gets to the shop, he pushes through the door and finds Louis behind the counter.  
  
"You're here early, aren't you?" Liam asks, brows furrowed in a slightly puzzled expression.  
  
"No, actually, I'm not." Louis snarks back, leaning against the counter with his palms out flat against the surface before him. "It just so happens that I didn't feel like being late today."  
  
Liam smiles and takes his usual stool at the counter, sliding his backpack onto the floor by his feet.  
  
"What can I get you, Payno?" Louis asks, and Liam taps a finger against his chin as he looks into the glass case of pasties before him.  
  
"Surprise me?" He asks, immediately regretting it when he sees the glimmer of mischief flash in Louis' eyes. "Nothing poisonous, please." He adds on, rolling his eyes at the disappointed look Louis gives him.  
  
"You're no fun today," Louis sighs, deciding to play nice and handing Liam a muffin.  
  
Liam examines it before taking a bite, brushing crumbs off of his face when Louis laughs fondly at him. "Where are the others?"  
  
"'M I not good enough for you?"  
  
"Are you ever?" Liam asks, ducking when louis reaches out to swat the side of his head.  
  
"Heeeeyyy," they're interrupted by Harry's low, drawling voice entering the shop. "Don't hit our customers, Lou, it's bad for business."  
  
" _Business_?" Louis squawks, "can it still be considered business if Liam never actually pays?"  
  
"Yes, he's still a customer." Harry laughs good-naturedly, shedding his jacket and heading behind the counter. He grabs an apron off of a hook on the wall and ties his hair up into his usual man-ban. He flicks the stray hairs out of his eyes and looks at Liam, dimples sinking into his cheeks. "Even if he's also a freeloader."  
  
"Hey, I give you tips!" Liam defends himself, pointing to the jar that's probably mostly filled with his own money.  
  
"That's true," Harry concedes with a shrug, walking over until he's close enough to bump Louis with his hip. Louis tries to act put out as Harry shoves him out of the way, but the answering shove he gives Harry is much too soft to be anything but incredibly fond.  
  
"So," Harry says as he leans forward on his elbows, fingers tapping at the counter space between himself and Liam. "How was the date night?"  
  
Liam feels his cheeks heat up as Louis spins around, hands on his hips.  
  
"Yes, that's right, you had an outing with your secret boyfriend last night, didn't you?" He walks over to stand beside Harry, waiting for Liam to answer.  
  
Liam blushes embarrassingly at the word ‘boyfriend,’ and is eternally grateful when neither of the boys bring it up. "I was gonna wait until Niall was here, too, but—"  
  
"Out with it, man! Harold and I’ll fill ‘im in later." Louis cuts him off, obviously more invested in Liam's love life than he'd ever admit to.  
  
"It was a really nice time. We went to the cinema and after he walked me back to mine and we talked and snogged some and we had a really great time until his phone rang and—"  
  
"Don't tell me it was that fucking flatmate again!" Louis interrupts, hands on his hips.  
  
"It was," Liam laughs, feeling just as exasperated as Louis.  
  
"I can't believe this. What a fucking cockblocking arsehole."  
  
Liam wants to disagree, to tell Louis that he doesn't know Zayn's flatmate and that they shouldn't pass judgment on him, but every time he watches Zayn walk out the door, he feels the exact same way.  
  
"Maybe he has his reasons," Harry chimes in, ever the voice of clarity. "I'm sure he'd be a very nice bloke if you got to know him."  
  
"Yeah, right," Louis scoffs. "Liam if you ever get past second base with this guy I'll organise a fucking parade."  
  
Liam laughs despite himself, shaking his head at Louis. "If it ever happens you'll be the first to know."  
  
-/-  
  
Liam and Zayn grow closer, spending their evenings together in Liam's flat, watching films or reading comics or just talking about anything and everything. They even map out long hours just touching and kissing each other, but it never goes further than that and Zayn always leaves before midnight.  
  
No matter how persistently Liam cajoles, kisses, and tries to persuade him, Zayn always insists that his flatmate can't be alone and kisses Liam goodnight, leaving him frustrated and wanting more.  
  
Tonight, they're in Liam's bed, laid out over the sheets while Zayn kisses Liam breathless, sucking marks into his neck and letting his stubble scratch at the sensitive skin there.  
  
Liam whines and tugs his fingers through Zayn's hair, mussing the quiff he knows Zayn spends so much time on every morning.  
  
He laughs when Zayn bites at his collarbones in retaliation and pulls Zayn back up to kiss his mouth, moaning when Zayn's tongue teases its way between his lips.  
  
"Liam," Zayn kisses his neck, biting softly when Liam moans beneath him.  
  
"Yeah, babe?" Liam asks, feeling that surge of possessiveness he gets every time he uses the pet name. Zayn is his babe, and he gets to call him that whenever he likes. He's still barely able to keep from grinning at the very idea.  
  
"I want you," Zayn tells him, kissing Liam hard, biting at his lip before pushing back in with even more passion and ferocity. "I want you so bad."  
  
Liam's eyes widen then and be pulls back, trying to look Zayn in the eye. "Then have me."  
  
Zayn smiles softly, tracing the bow of Liam's lips with a finger. "God, I want to, Liam, but—"  
  
"Zayn," Liam whines, pulling Zayn on top of him so that their bodies are aligned. He feels a flare of triumph at the hard ridge of Zayn's cock pressing against his own. He rocks his hips experimentally, laughing when Zayn groans and lets his head drop to rest on Liam's shoulder. "Please, babe," Liam makes his voice as breathy as possible, making sure his lips brush Zayn's ear as he whispers to him.  
  
Zayn gives a full-body shiver and moves to kiss Liam hard, sucking at his bottom lip when he pulls away. "Yeah, okay, let's – let's do it."  
  
" _Yes_ ," Liam sighs with relief, reaching for the hem of Zayn's shirt and tugging it up and over his head. His eyes are immediately drawn to the ink littering Zayn's skin and he places his hands on Zayn's chest, letting them run over the muscle there. "God, I've wanted this for ages, Zayn," Liam all but moans, tugging Zayn down into another kiss with a hand at the back of his neck. He curls his fingers in the short hairs there when Zayn's tongue finds his, teasing another sound out of Liam, who only kisses back harder in reply.  
  
Zayn breaks the kiss to get his lips fastened to Liam's neck, sucking what's sure to be a deep bruise right beside his birthmark.  
  
"Shit," Liam swears, eyes clenched shut when he feels Zayn's teeth scrape over the spot possessively. Then Zayn's hands are at the buttons of Liam's own shirt, helping him out of it while Liam stares dazedly at the ceiling. Once his shirt is open, he sits up to peel it off, tossing it off of the bed and welcoming Zayn back into his arms for another long kiss. Feeling Zayn’s bare chest against his own adds a new dimension to their embrace and Liam feels himself growing ever harder in his jeans.  
  
"Wanna get my mouth on you," Zayn tells him, bringing a hand between them to open Liam's jeans. He fits his hand into Liam's pants, taking the hard length of Liam's cock into his hand and stroking it tentatively. "Fuck, need to taste you."  
  
"Yeah," Liam nods his consent, nearly pushing Zayn down his body.  
  
Zayn goes with a laugh, tugging Liam's jeans and pants all the way off before throwing them to join their shirts on the floor. He settles back between Liam's legs and Liam props himself up on his elbows just in time to watch as Zayn holds his cock steady with one hand at the base before sucking the head into his mouth.  
  
"Holy shit," Liam swears, clenching his eyes shut and letting himself fall back against the bed, knowing that if he watches much more this'll be over before it starts.  
  
Zayn knows what to do with his mouth; teasing Liam with short licks to the head before going deep, sucking down as much as he can before he needs to come back up for air. He's moaning around Liam's cock, as if he's the one being pleasured.  
  
Zayn pulls off to breathe, stroking Liam's cock with one hand and reaching beneath himself with the other. For a moment he just watches his hand, watches as Liam's cock slides easily in and out of the circle of his fist.  
  
"Zayn," Liam whines, letting his hips fuck up into Zayn's hand. "I want you in me."  
  
"Yeah?" Zayn asks, smirking as he gives Liam's cock one final suck before he crawls up Liam's body and kisses him deeply, pushing the taste of Liam into his own mouth. "Want me to fuck you?" He asks when he pulls back, watching Liam's mouth as he licks his lips.  
  
"Please," Liam nods, realising he's not at all above begging in this situation. Probably any situation where Zayn is involved. "Want it so bad."  
  
"Where do you keep your—"  
  
"In that drawer," Liam points up to the head of the bed where his bedside table is.  
  
Zayn nods and slides away from him to rummage through it. Once he finds a condom and a bottle of lube he shuts the drawer and drops his finds on the bed so that he can finally remove his own jeans.  
  
"Fuck," Liam swears when Zayn's cock slaps up against his stomach, hard and thick and straining and wet at the tip. He wants it badly.  
  
Zayn laughs, cheeks pinking just a bit as he comes back to the bed. He lays beside Liam where he's sprawled on his back, hooking a leg over Liam's as he cuddles in close. "Do you want to get yourself ready or—"  
  
"No," Liam shakes his head, "want you to do it."  
  
"'Kay," Zayn kisses Liam's cheek with a surprising amount tenderness before he moves back to the foot of the bed and prompts Liam to flip over so that he can get on his hands and knees. "Wanna get deep," Zayn says quietly, almost as if he were speaking to himself. The words make Liam moan loudly anyway as he buries his face in the crook of his elbow.  
  
He hears the bottle of lube open with a click, and it's only a matter of seconds before he feels one slick finger tracing his rim. He automatically arches his back, giving Zayn better access.  
  
"That's it, Liam," Zayn praises him as he presses the first finger in and Liam sighs, feeling himself start to relax around the digit. "You're already opening up so good for me, babe."  
  
"Wanna be good for you," Liam mutters into the silence and hears Zayn's breath catch as he pushes his finger in even deeper.  
  
"You are, Liam, so good." He slides the first finger out and tests out Liam's resistance to another. There isn't much, so he pushes both in and Liam has to clench his hands in the sheets to keep from making a sound.  
  
He grinds back against Zayn's fingers, trying to get them to reach that spot inside of him. They brush his prostate and he twists his hips again, chasing that feeling.  
  
"Fuck, Liam," Zayn breathes, waiting a few minutes before sliding in a third. That does get Liam to moan, and he does so loudly, feeling his arse clench around the fullness of Zayn's fingers.  
  
"Feels so good, Zayn," Liam pants, feeling sweat begin to dot his forehead. "I'm ready, please," he begs, feeling Zayn slide his fingers deep for the final time before withdrawing them. Liam whines at the emptiness he feels, but the sound dies in his throat when he hears Zayn rip the condom open.  
  
A moment later and Zayn is there, pressing into him and making Liam bite his lip against a whine as the blunt head of Zayn's cock breaches him.  
  
"Yes," Liam groans, trying to push back against Zayn, to get him deeper.  
  
As if Zayn can sense Liam's urgency, he presses all the way in, not stopping until his hips are resting against Liam's arse, skin to skin.  
  
"Liam," Zayn drapes his front over Liam's back, taking a moment to breathe before he slides out halfway and pushes back in.  
  
"Yeah, Zayn, so good," Liam winds his hips, feeling Zayn's cock slide along his lube-slick walls.  
  
Zayn begins to fuck him then, getting up on his knees so that he can put some power behind his thrusts, his hips smacking against Liam every time he pushes back in.  
  
Liam can't stop the noises he's making now, can't keep himself from whining every time Zayn bottoms out.  
  
"Wait," he pants, "Zayn, wait."  
  
Immediately, Zayn stops moving, breathing hard as he pulls out. "What's the matter?" He asks, eyes searching with concern.  
  
Liam shifts into his back and spreads his legs wide, beckoning Zayn to lay on top of him. "Just wanted to see your face," he blushes, grateful when Zayn invades his space again.  
  
He smiles down at Liam and presses their bodies together. "Good, cos I really wanted to kiss you," he says, guiding his cock back into Liam and watching the way his facial expression changes.  
  
"So do it," Liam tells him, arching up so that he can meet Zayn halfway. "Kiss me."  
  
Zayn needs no further prompting and brings his lips to Liam's in a hard kiss, fucking into him so perfectly Liam feels as though he just might break apart.  
  
Zayn's cock nudges his prostate and Liam gasps, eyes going wide as he brings his knees higher, hands holding them up on either side of Zayn.  
  
"Fuck," Zayn follows his lead, getting back up on his knees and helping Liam hold his legs open. His eyes immediately fall down to where he can watch his cock sliding in and out of Liam's arse and just knowing that Zayn's watching makes Liam's whole body shudder.  
  
It's not much longer before Liam feels the tension building, the simmer of heat rising up from the pit of his stomach and radiating out through every inch of his body. "I'm close, Zayn, so close," Liam tells him, reaching for his cock and stroking just under the head.  
  
Zayn bats his hand away and grabs Liam's cock himself, flicking his thumb over the head where precome has been leaking steadily for the past few minutes.  
  
"Fuck, Liam," Zayn sighs, watching Liam's face as he gives his cock a squeeze, "wanna feel you come around me. Need it."  
  
" _Shit_ ," Liam curses, eyes clenching shut as his orgasm rocks through him, stopping his breathing as he paints his chest and Zayn's hand in streaks of white. He feels himself clenching rhythmically around Zayn's cock and reaches for the hand that was just touching him. He sucks Zayn's fingers into his mouth and Zayn's hips stutter as he too comes, rutting against Liam as he rides it out.  
  
"Fuck!" He shouts, letting himself drop down so that he's laying on Liam again, their heartbeats racing against one another through their chests. Zayn's hips slow down to a gentle thrusting as he finally comes down, taking a moment to catch his breath before rolling off of Liam and dropping into his back beside him.  
  
"Fuck," Zayn repeats, making Liam laugh as he turns his head to look Zayn. His hair is an absolute wreck now, standing up in every direction. Liam's sure his own doesn't look much better.  
  
"Where's the uh, the..." Zayn makes a gesture with his hand and Liam laughs, mentally filling in the blank.  
  
"Um, it's that door off the side of the kitchen," he answers, watching as Zayn slides out of bed to go find the bathroom.  
  
While Zayn's gone he reaches over to his bedside table for a tissue and cleans himself up as best he can, feeling too lazy to leave the bed.  
  
Zayn returns a few moments later and burrows under the covers, wordlessly motioning for Liam to do the same. He does and settles into the bed, feeling his heartbeat flutter when Zayn kisses the back of his neck.  
  
"That was incredible, babe," Zayn says, his voice already heavy as though he hasn't slept in three days. He's fallen asleep before Liam can even offer a reply.  
  
-/-  
  
The next morning, Liam feels guilty at his own surprise when he finds Zayn hadn't run off while he was sleeping. He slides out of the bed and carefully pads over to his closet, grabbing a worn old pair of joggers and a tee shirt to slip on.  
  
He heads into the kitchen to make coffee, unable to keep himself from smiling as he remembers what happened the night before.  
  
He and Zayn slept together. They had sex and Zayn _actually stayed the night_ _._  
  
He's still grinning idiotically when he hears Zayn shuffle into the kitchen.  
  
His face has crease lines on it from how he'd been sleeping and he's dressed in his clothes from last night but Liam thinks he looks gorgeous as ever when he gives a sleepy smile and a quiet, "Hey, Liam."  
  
"Morning, Zayn," Liam supplies cheerily, still smiling broadly when Zayn walks over to kiss him good morning. It's nothing spectacular, just a quick, chaste press of their lips, but it makes Liam's heart soar. "D'you want some coffee?" Liam offers, trying not to sound too hopeful.  
  
"Nah, 'm good," Zayn shakes his head and scrunches his nose. "Listen, you're probably gonna hate me for saying this, but—"  
  
"You have to go?" Liam guesses, feeling disappointed when Zayn nods contritely.  
  
"Yeah," Zayn sighs, "but... there's something I need you to know."  
  
Liam feels his brows knit together as he stares at Zayn, who's suddenly looking worried. "What is it, Zayn?"  
  
"I can't tell you right now, I've already been out way too long and I have to get back."  
  
Liam's stomach twists with nerves and exasperation. "You can't just set me up like this and walk away."  
  
"I'm sorry," Zayn sighs, pushing a hand through his mussed bed hair. "You can come over to my place and I'll explain everything. Let's meet up tonight, okay?"  
  
" _Your place_?" Liam repeats dumbly. He'll have to ask Zayn to repeat everything else he said because Liam stopped listening after he heard those words. After all the months Liam's known Zayn, after all the time they've spent together for schoolwork and other things, Zayn has never once invited Liam to his flat. "Are you sure?"  
  
Zayn smiles weakly, nodding and leaning in to rest his forehead against Liam's. "I'm sure, Liam."  
  
"Okay," Liam sighs, reaching for one of Zayn's hands and giving it a squeeze. "I'll come over."  
  
Zayn doesn't necessarily look happy with Liam's answer, but his hand still holds tight to Liam's when their eyes meet again. Zayn tries to smile, but the fact that it doesn't sit quite right on his face has Liam's gut twisting with worry.  
  
-/-  
  
Later that night, Liam's pacing nervously outside of Zayn's door.  
  
As badly as he's wanted to know what Zayn was holding back from him all this time, he's terrified that it'll turn out to be something huge that they can't get past. He doesn't want to lose what he has with Zayn, but the way that they left things the night before has left Liam feeling very uncertain of where they'll stand when the night is through.  
  
Finally deciding to get a grip, Liam walks up to the door and raps on it lightly. After a few moments he hears movement on the other side of the door and smiles when Zayn opens it.  
  
Only, it isn't Zayn, it's—  
  
"Harry?" Liam takes a step back, checking the number on the wall beside the door. _Has he come to the wrong place?_  
  
"Hi, Liam," Harry smiles gently, stepping back. "Come in."  
  
"No," Liam answers quietly, "I think I've got the wrong flat..." His brows feel like they'll never unfurrow, knitted together in the centre of his forehead as he stares at Harry like a deer in headlights.  
  
"Liam," he hears Zayn's voice before he sees him, then he's at Harry's side, holding out a hand and motioning for Liam to come in.  
  
"What's going on here?" Liam asks, letting Zayn pull him into the flat.  
  
It's decorated nicely, posters and paintings on the walls, black furniture and an overall monochromatic design offset only by the art on the walls and the bright green of the potted plants scattered throughout the space.  
  
"Um, well," Zayn starts wringing his hands together. It's obvious that he's nervous, his bottom lip is bitten red and beginning to swell as he stares at the floor.  
  
"What's Harry doing here?" Liam asks, impatient and tired of Zayn's silence. "Wait– is Harry your flatmate?"  
  
Harry shifts awkwardly at Zayn's side, toying with the silver bands on his fingers.  
  
"Yes and no," Zayn answers, finally looking at Liam.  
  
Liam sighs, feeling his confusion steadily seeping into anger. "Zayn, you have thirty seconds to give me a straight answer or I'm walking out the door."  
  
"Harry _is_ my flatmate," Zayn rushes the words out in a single breath. "But he's not _just_ my flatmate."  
  
Liam feels his stomach sinking as he waits for Zayn to fill in the final blank. He already knows where this is going but his heart still breaks painfully in his chest when Zayn says:  
  
"He's my boyfriend."


End file.
